Deferred visuals of the scene of the terror attack
Ghulam Rasool Dar, a BJP leader from Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, and his wife were shot dead in a terror attack in south Kashmir's Anantnag town on Monday.
Mr Dar, who was the district head of the BJP's Kisan Morcha, and his wife were in the Lal Chowk neighbourhood of the town when terrorists opened fire, J&K BJP leader Altaf Thakur was quoted by news agency ANI. The two were rushed to a hospital for treatment, but died of their injuries.
The BJP has condemned the killing, calling it "barbaric".
"Attacking and killing innocent people will lead to nowhere and the acts reflect the frustration on part of the terrorists," Mr Thakur was quoted by ANI.
"The cowards of Pakistan, in a terrorist attack, have killed BJP's Ghulam Rasool Dar and his wife, Jawhara Banoo. Dar is the same person who happily unfurled the Indian flag on August 5, on the occasion of revocation of Kashmir's special status," Ravinder Raina, chief of the BJP's J&K unit, said.
Deferred visuals from ANI showed police and security forces standing by the side of a small road and keeping bystanders at bay. Visuals also show an ambulance pulling away from the scene.
Mr Dar, a resident of Kulgam's Redwani, was a sarpanch, or village chief, affiliated with the BJP. He unsuccessfully contested last year's District Development Council elections.
At the time of his death Mr Dar was living in rented accommodation in Anantnag.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, tweeted to express his sorrow, and said that the those behind "this act of cowardice" would be held responsible very soon.
Former Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has also condemned the killings, and offered his condolences to Mr Dar's family and friends.
"I unequivocally condemn the assassination of Ghulam Rasool Dar and his wife. They join a long list of mainstream politicians killed for their political beliefs. My condolences to his family and colleagues. May Allah grant the departed place in Jannat," Mr Abdullah tweeted.
Another former J&K Chief Minister, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, also tweeted.
"Extremely sorry to hear that BJP District President and his wife have been shot dead by militants today. My condolences to their families and loved ones," she said.
In June terrorists shot dead Rakesh Pandita, another BJP leader and a municipal councillor, who was at a friend's home in Pulwama's Tral area when three terrorists barged in and opened fire.
Police said Mr Pandita had been provided Personal Security Officers (PSO) and had been lodged at a hotel in Srinagar to ensure his safety, but he went to Tral without the security personnel.
Former Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and Sajad Lone, the President of Peoples Conference, tweeted their condolences after the killing, which Ms Mufti called "senseless".
Mr Pandita had been elected to unopposed to the Tral municipal council in 2018 after major parties in the Kashmir Valley, including the PDP and the National Conference, boycotted polls.
Hours before the attack on Mr Dar and his wife, J&K Police said they had foiled terrorist activity ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
Authorities recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition - including two AK-47 rifles, a Chinese-made pistol and four grenades - from a terrorist hideout in Poonch district.
With input from ANI, PTI